Ron Helwig - Tiny House / Sustainable Livinghttp://ronhelwig.com/content_category/tiny_house
enSugar Shack in Winterhttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2015/jan/sugar_shack_winter
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Here's a few pictures of the Sugar Shack during this snowstorm. At this point there's been about 20 inches of snow. The building is 12x24 feet with a 4 foot deck along the front.</p><p><a href="http://ronhelwig.com/file/img_20150127_144453jpg"><img alt="From up the hill" title="From up the hill" height="164" width="220" style="width: 220px; height: 164px;" class="media-element file-teaser" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/IMG_20150127_144453.jpg?itok=LypSS2dz" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://ronhelwig.com/file/img_20150127_144638jpg"><img alt="From down past the shack" title="From down past the shack" height="164" width="220" style="width: 220px; height: 164px;" class="media-element file-teaser" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/IMG_20150127_144638.jpg?itok=4XI2Zwy-" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://ronhelwig.com/file/img_20150127_144803jpg"><img alt="From the pond" title="From the pond" height="164" width="220" style="width: 220px; height: 164px;" class="media-element file-teaser" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/IMG_20150127_144803.jpg?itok=lQZb0qbm" /></a></p><p>This building has a 6" rocket mass heater that does a good job keeping it comfy. There's a hugelkultur bed just up the hill from the shack and there's a great view of the ponds from the front deck. The front deck is covered with plastic to act as a sunroom/greenhouse.</p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Content Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/content_category/tiny_house">Tiny House / Sustainable Living</a></div></div></div>Tue, 27 Jan 2015 20:21:00 +0000webmaster530 at http://ronhelwig.comhttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2015/jan/sugar_shack_winter#commentsCatching beeshttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/jul/catching_bees
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Yesterday afternoon as I was walking back from skinnydipping in the pond I saw a swarm of bees. Concerned, I told the boss and we checked it out.</p><p><img height="124" width="220" alt="Bee swarm in tree" title="Bee swarm in tree" class="media-element file-teaser" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/bee%20swarm%201.jpg?itok=EkvPpfiU" /></p><p><img alt="bee swarm in tree closeup" class="media-element file-teaser" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22293%22,%22view_mode%22:%22teaser%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22teaser%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22bee%20swarm%20in%20tree%20closeup%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22bee%20swarm%20in%20tree%20closeup%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/bee%20swarm%202.jpg?itok=BOVqRuB5" style="width: 220px; height: 124px; float: left; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px;" title="bee swarm in tree closeup">The swarm was about 15 feet up in the tree, and maybe 50 feet from the three bee hives we already have. Excellent location!</p><p>Well of course the boss wanted to see if we could capture the swarm and get them into a fourth hive. Neither one of us had doen this before, but he knew what to do so this morning we went to it.</p><p>First we set up the loader with a step ladder in the bucket, to try to get as close as possible. That was a bit too unsafe though, so we hooked up a rope to bend the branch lower to make it easier to reach.</p><p>The boss geared up and went up with a lidded box to capture the queen and her swarm. I pulled on the rope (from a safe distance) and he shook the branch, making the bees fall into the box. He checked the box to see if the queen was in it, but couldn't really tell. We left the box there for a little while, letting the swarm figure out where the queen was; and since the swarm stayed at the box that meant the queen was inside.</p><p>Then we set up a new hive next to the existing ones and lifted the swarm box up to it. He basically just dumped the bees into the new hive and then closed it up. It wasn't as hard as I had figured these things would be, and while he got stung 5 times I didn't get stung at all. Now we just need to wait a few days to see if the hive survives.</p><p><img height="124" width="220" alt="ladder on loader" title="ladder on loader" class="media-element file-teaser" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/bee%20swarm%203%20bad%20form.jpg?itok=WLCu3S7W" />
<img alt="not safe" class="media-element file-teaser" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22295%22,%22view_mode%22:%22teaser%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22teaser%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22not%20safe%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22not%20safe%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/bee%20swarm%204%20doing%20it%20wrong.jpg?itok=OMYLLOfP" style="width: 124px; height: 220px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; float: left;" title="not safe">
<img height="220" width="124" alt="catching the bees in a box" title="catching the bees in a box" class="media-element file-teaser" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/bee%20swarm%205%20catching.jpg?itok=N2ANXnp3" />
<img height="220" width="124" alt="checking for the queen" title="checking for the queen" class="media-element file-teaser" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/bee%20swarm%206%20checking.jpg?itok=wWNjzmCo" />
<img height="220" width="124" alt="lifting the bees" title="lifting the bees" class="media-element file-teaser" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/bee%20swarm%207%20lifting.jpg?itok=le3Y8C0Q" />
<img height="220" width="124" alt="prepping the new hive" title="prepping the new hive" class="media-element file-teaser" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/bee%20swarm%208%20prep.jpg?itok=L62OLJ_W" />
<img alt="box of bees" class="media-element file-teaser" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22300%22,%22view_mode%22:%22teaser%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22teaser%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22box%20of%20bees%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22box%20of%20bees%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/bee%20swarm%209%20ready.jpg?itok=u-7iEO6t" style="width: 220px; height: 124px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; float: left;" title="box of bees">
<img height="220" width="124" alt="dumping the swarm into the hive" title="dumping the swarm into the hive" class="media-element file-teaser" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/bee%20swarm%2010%20dumping.jpg?itok=KyLjfkdR" />
<img alt="bees are in their new hive" class="media-element file-teaser" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22302%22,%22view_mode%22:%22teaser%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22teaser%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22bees%20are%20in%20their%20new%20hive%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22bees%20are%20in%20their%20new%20hive%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/bee%20swarm%2011%20done.jpg?itok=sJPSfsJ0" style="width: 124px; height: 220px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; float: left;" title="bees are in their new hive"></p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Content Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/content_category/tiny_house">Tiny House / Sustainable Living</a></div></div></div>Wed, 02 Jul 2014 15:12:24 +0000webmaster528 at http://ronhelwig.comhttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/jul/catching_bees#commentsCan you dig it?http://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/jun/can_you_dig_it
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><!--MEDIA-WRAPPER-END-1--><p><img alt="From Mystery Men, the Shoveler" class="media-element file-media-original" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22291%22,%22view_mode%22:%22media_original%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22media_original%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22From%20Mystery%20Men,%20the%20Shoveler%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22From%20Mystery%20Men,%20the%20Shoveler%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/MysteryMen_shoveler.png" style="width: 300px; height: 490px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; float: right;" title="From Mystery Men, the Shoveler">Lately I've been doing a lot of shoveling. Not quite enough to get me to superhero status, but hey, who knows.</p><p>One of the big projects was when we had to remove a retaining wall. The retaining wall's foundation was not removed, but we needed to put a french drain between the retaining wall's foundation and a shipping container building. Of course, after putting in the drain we realized the utilities needed to go under the french drain - damn.</p><p>So I spent a bunch of time digging up a section of the french drain, under the foundation, and up the side of the hill all to make a path for the utilities. Then we moved the utility lines (electric and water) and I filled the ditch back up. Next we have to turn the hill/slope into a terraced garden.</p><p><object height="315" width="420"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/qB2s-IILaOg?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/v/qB2s-IILaOg?version=3&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420"></object></p><p>The current task is to place the <a href="http://www.permies.com/t/1360/ponds/Sepp-Holzer-ponds-monk">monk</a> for a pond. An excavator dug the ditch we needed for the monk, but of course it requires manual filling in so as not to damage the monk.</p><p>A monk allows you to control the level of the water in the pond. It is basically a tube that allows water to flow out, and the opening can be set at the level you want. By placing the beginning of the tube vertically, it helps keep it from getting clogged.</p><p><object height="315" width="420"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/pkO3F2x7MKY?hl=en_US&amp;version=3&amp;rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/v/pkO3F2x7MKY?hl=en_US&amp;version=3&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420"></object></p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Content Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/content_category/tiny_house">Tiny House / Sustainable Living</a></div></div></div>Mon, 16 Jun 2014 18:13:47 +0000webmaster527 at http://ronhelwig.comhttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/jun/can_you_dig_it#commentsChickens are stinky? Not if managed right.http://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/may/chickens_are_stinky_not_if_managed_right
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Growing up in southeastern Minnesota, I of course was able to visit pig farms. The small scale but still industrial model pig farms were very stinky places. I've heard that chicken farms are even worse smelling than pig farms, and if so they must be horrendous places.</p><p>Fortunately where I am now, even though we do have chickens, I can breathe freely. Every morning I take a trip to a local restaurant and get some of their previous day's garbage, which we use to create compost as well as feed the animals. When I pour it out I get to see the high quality of the ingredients they use at the restaurant, and have said often that just seeing their garbage makes me want to eat there.</p><p>Today I got the OK from the owner of the restaurant to talk about it. The restaurant is the <a href="http://www.thetuckaway.com/">Tuckaway Tavern &amp; Butchery</a> in Raymond. Three of my Facebook friends have already liked <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheTuckaway">their page</a>, and after having eaten lunch there today I can see why.</p><p>But back to the chickens. All day long I walk by the compost pile, which the chickens attack with abandon, and enjoy the smell of great salad. No foul stench of fowl, just fresh locally grown vegetables. Its no wonder that when I open the chicken coop in the morning they make a mad dash to feast.</p>
<object width="420" height="315"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/keJNfxz47wg?hl=en_US&amp;version=3&amp;rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/keJNfxz47wg?hl=en_US&amp;version=3&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Content Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/content_category/food">Food</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/content_category/tiny_house">Tiny House / Sustainable Living</a></div></div></div>Fri, 16 May 2014 21:29:54 +0000webmaster526 at http://ronhelwig.comhttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/may/chickens_are_stinky_not_if_managed_right#commentsBuilding the Chicken Tractorhttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/apr/building_chicken_tractor
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Today I harvested 6 eggs from the new chicken tractor. You might not know what this cool thing is, so here's the short description. A chicken tractor is a portable chicken coop that you slowly move across an area you want to fertilize. Typically you have a fence around the back area of the tractor so the chickens can free range graze in a designated spot. The chickens eat the bugs and stuff, poop on the ground (thus fertilizing it), and roost in the tractor. When they've been on that spot long enough, you simply move the tractor to the next spot.</p><p><a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Chicken%20Tractor%201a%20old.jpg?itok=2o7kGZfk" title="The old small and hard to move tractor" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;The old small and hard to move tractor&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;The old small and hard to move tractor&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="The old small and hard to move tractor" alt="The old small and hard to move tractor" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/Chicken%20Tractor%201a%20old.jpg?itok=DZnjouyX" width="100" height="100" /></a></p><p><a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Chicken%20Tractor%201%20old.jpg?itok=ipx7US6M" title="The old small and hard to move tractor" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;The old small and hard to move tractor&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;The old small and hard to move tractor&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="The old small and hard to move tractor" alt="The old small and hard to move tractor" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/Chicken%20Tractor%201%20old.jpg?itok=7Sr_OS4v" width="100" height="100" /></a></p><p><a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Chicken%20Tractor%202%20old.jpg?itok=nUg9fy0B" title="The old small and hard to move tractor" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;The old small and hard to move tractor&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;The old small and hard to move tractor&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="The old small and hard to move tractor" alt="The old small and hard to move tractor" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/Chicken%20Tractor%202%20old.jpg?itok=yCFYMQlk" width="100" height="100" /></a></p><p>A classical chicken tractor will have either an open bottom or some sort of wire mesh so the poop deposited while in the tractor can fall onto the ground. Our version is slightly different, having a solid floor. We built it using an old popup camper, which was a cheap way to get the trailer we needed to build on.</p><p>Of course, the first thing to do was strip the trailer of anything valuable. I did most of that work, removing the canvas and appliances. We also pulled out most of the cabinets and electrical stuff - it won't be needing turn signals anymore.</p><p><a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Chicken%20Tractor%203%20stripping%20parts.jpg?itok=9Y3RjFPO" title="Stripping the popup" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Stripping the popup&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Stripping the popup&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="Stripping the popup" alt="Stripping the popup" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/Chicken%20Tractor%203%20stripping%20parts.jpg?itok=UjOjaomC" width="100" height="100" /></a></p><p><a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Chicken%20Tractor%204%20stripping%20parts.jpg?itok=_GNSCeYq" title="Stripping the popup" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Stripping the popup&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Stripping the popup&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="Stripping the popup" alt="Stripping the popup" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/Chicken%20Tractor%204%20stripping%20parts.jpg?itok=BNR5Lux9" width="100" height="100" /></a></p><p>Once it was stripped, we simply pushed in the wings to make a stable platform. One nice consequence of this is that underneath the platform is plenty of storage, complete with a functional door. A layer of strong plastic over the platform allows for easier cleaning and better maintainability.</p><p><a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Chicken%20Tractor%205%20bare%20before%20modification.jpg?itok=xVICMLCk" title="Popup stripped, wings in" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Popup stripped, wings in&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Popup stripped, wings in&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="Popup stripped, wings in" alt="Popup stripped, wings in" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/Chicken%20Tractor%205%20bare%20before%20modification.jpg?itok=YzXDaiNt" width="100" height="100" /></a></p><p>Next we built and installed the roosting boxes. These are simply plywood pieces put together to make boxes with one side open. We added a small bar in the front to let the chickens perch/step into the boxes nicely. Another feature that is essential is a hatch on the back of the boxes for easy access. That's how I harvested the eggs, by simply opening the back of the roosting box that had some eggs in it.</p><p><a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Chicken%20Tractor%206%20roosting%20boxes.jpg?itok=CR5OqPeO" title="Roosting boxes" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Roosting boxes&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Roosting boxes&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="Roosting boxes" alt="Roosting boxes" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/Chicken%20Tractor%206%20roosting%20boxes.jpg?itok=PEuEKTEq" width="100" height="100" /></a></p><p><a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Chicken%20Tractor%207%20roosting%20boxes.jpg?itok=76fAXLKJ" title="Roosting boxes" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Roosting boxes&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Roosting boxes&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="Roosting boxes" alt="Roosting boxes" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/Chicken%20Tractor%207%20roosting%20boxes.jpg?itok=4mVX3oEH" width="100" height="100" /></a></p><p>Needing a place to sleep at night, we next added some perches. Simple wood triangles with bars placed across them and some bracing works great. A simple door at the back, and some mesh wrapped around the whole thing wraps it up nicely. We also build a ramp that we can attach when the door is open so they can easily get in and out. And it only took us two days to build - but we were taking our time and making lots up as we went. I'm sure this could be done in a day if you had all your material on hand and had built one before.</p><p><a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Chicken%20Tractor%208%20perch.jpg?itok=vk5E7H26" title="Perches" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Perches&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Perches&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="Perches" alt="Perches" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/Chicken%20Tractor%208%20perch.jpg?itok=9epjNvlX" width="100" height="100" /></a></p><p><a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Chicken%20Tractor%209%20perch.jpg?itok=6rxTz-Fa" title="Perches" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Perches&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Perches&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="Perches" alt="Perches" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/Chicken%20Tractor%209%20perch.jpg?itok=xJ4gfLzT" width="100" height="100" /></a></p><p><a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Chicken%20Tractor%2010%20finished.jpg?itok=01Zwhnzy" title="Finished chicken tractor" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Finished chicken tractor&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Finished chicken tractor&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="Finished chicken tractor" alt="Finished chicken tractor" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/Chicken%20Tractor%2010%20finished.jpg?itok=8kXhWR6k" width="100" height="100" /></a></p><p><a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Chicken%20Tractor%2011%20finished.jpg?itok=ZJ-WgwtS" title="Finished chicken tractor" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Finished chicken tractor&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Finished chicken tractor&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="Finished chicken tractor" alt="Finished chicken tractor" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/Chicken%20Tractor%2011%20finished.jpg?itok=aLzXvWw7" width="100" height="100" /></a></p><p><a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Chicken%20Tractor%2012%20on%20perch.jpg?itok=NPLGCbw6" title="Chicken on perch in chicken tractor" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Chicken on perch in chicken tractor&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Chicken on perch in chicken tractor&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="Chicken on perch in chicken tractor" alt="Chicken on perch in chicken tractor" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/Chicken%20Tractor%2012%20on%20perch.jpg?itok=T9549IyV" width="100" height="100" /></a></p><p>This thing looks like its going to be pretty cool. Taking care of chickens isn't all that hard, but this will make it even easier while taking advantage of their manure.</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Content Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/content_category/tiny_house">Tiny House / Sustainable Living</a></div></div></div>Thu, 24 Apr 2014 23:44:07 +0000webmaster525 at http://ronhelwig.comhttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/apr/building_chicken_tractor#commentsThinking about powerhttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/apr/thinking_about_power
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>It was a bit cold in the trailer this morning when I woke up. Some time during last nights rain &amp; snow the electricity went out, and I've now learned that all the heating systems require electricity to function. Thankfully it wasn't bad, and the temp in the trailer was only down to 55F while it was less then freezing outside.</p><p>I've long been a fan of redundancy in critical systems. For example if you have a propane stovetop and an electric microwave, you can still cook if either (but not both) the electricity and propane are out. In that case your redundancy is at the terminal, or functional, end of the spectrum. The other main source of redundancy is at the supply end. For example you might have solar cells charging a battery pack that feeds into a transformer plus a traditional on-the-grid power supply. Ideally you'd have redundancy at both ends for all your critical infrastructure.</p><p>For the tiny house I've been planning to build I've been avoiding thinking much about a wood stove. The potential for a house fire as well as the maintenance of cutting and splitting wood, bringing it in, and needing to be there regularly to keep the fire going are all factors against it. However, as a complement to other heating and cooking systems it can be quite useful, and as long as it has the ability to be used for cooking it is the ultimate backup. Of course, in a tiny house finding one that is appropriately sized might be tough. Too big and it will not only take up too much space but also overheat the house.</p><p>We do have three solar panels we're planning on installing, so systems that use a little electricity are also going to be acceptable. Perhaps a pellet stove would work, but they aren't as versatile. On the other hand, they can run autonomously, allowing you to be away for longer periods. But then there's also the cost of the pellets and what if the supply dries up?</p><p>Another option is a boiler to go with the wood stove. If your house has a tank heater, the wood fired boiler can feed into the tank, lowering the tank heater's cost as well as extending its effective size. Some people even have a radiant floor heating system hooked up to their wood fired boilers. The Hobbit stove, which is made for smaller spaces, has such an option (&nbsp;<a href="http://www.salamanderstoves.com/docs/69/back_boiler_option/">http://www.salamanderstoves.com/docs/69/back_boiler_option/</a>&nbsp;) but they are a bit expensive and made in Europe so shipping might add expense. But the idea is really nice.</p><p>I won't be deciding these things today, but I am starting to get into thinking about them much more now.</p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Content Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/content_category/tiny_house">Tiny House / Sustainable Living</a></div></div></div>Wed, 16 Apr 2014 13:15:19 +0000webmaster524 at http://ronhelwig.comhttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/apr/thinking_about_power#commentsBiltong and Destructionhttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/apr/biltong_and_destruction
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>One thing I've been wanting to do for a while is get more resistant to hard times, so when I heard about this stuff called biltong I had to try it. My long time <a href="http://freestateproject.org/" target="_blank">Free State</a> friend and <a href="http://www.grange.org/manchestercommunitynh359/" target="_blank">Grange</a> sister Sovereign Sandy introduced me to it, at least virtually, through her blog. (See entries <a href="http://sovereignsandy.com/biltong-part-1/" target="_blank">#1</a> and <a href="http://sovereignsandy.com/biltong-part-2/" target="_blank">#2</a>)</p><p>Luckily I had just moved to a new place where the owner has already tried similar products. He had a container fitted with an old computer fan and a few screen covered holes. This makes a great drying apparatus. He even has a power supply that converts 110v AC to the 5 volt needed for the fan.</p><p>Other than having meat that was a bit too thin, I follwed Sandy's recipe as best I could. After two and a half days it looked more than dried enough. We tested a piece, and it was good. I thought it was just about right, but the boss said "a bit too much salt". He was impressed enough to buy some more meat to try though, thicker this time. So I'll have to give it another go.</p><p><a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22273%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Biltong%20power%20supply%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Biltong%20power%20supply%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/biltong_1_power.jpg?itok=BpQQ3g-T" rel="gallery-all" title="Biltong power supply"><img alt="Biltong power supply" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/biltong_1_power.jpg?itok=qkV35qL4" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; float: left;" title="Biltong power supply"></a>&nbsp;<a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22274%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Biltong%20lid%20with%20fan%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Biltong%20lid%20with%20fan%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/biltong_2_fan_lid.jpg?itok=uiIxegiz" rel="gallery-all" title="Biltong lid with fan"><img alt="Biltong lid with fan" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/biltong_2_fan_lid.jpg?itok=XeH8zbnz" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; float: left;" title="Biltong lid with fan"></a>&nbsp;<a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22275%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Biltong%20hanging%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Biltong%20hanging%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/biltong_3_hang.jpg?itok=srq8FpyP" rel="gallery-all" title="Biltong hanging"><img alt="Biltong hanging" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/biltong_3_hang.jpg?itok=-toyP1Fs" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; float: left;" title="Biltong hanging"></a>&nbsp;<a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22276%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Biltong%20hanging%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Biltong%20hanging%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/biltong_4_hang.jpg?itok=xcS36HjI" rel="gallery-all" title="Biltong hanging"><img alt="Biltong hanging" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/biltong_4_hang.jpg?itok=RFmaU-s7" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; float: left;" title="Biltong hanging"></a>&nbsp;<a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22277%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Finished%20biltong%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Finished%20biltong%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/biltong_5_results.jpg?itok=d_1yMxXm" rel="gallery-all" title="Finished biltong"><img alt="Finished biltong" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/biltong_5_results.jpg?itok=c1xGYTW-" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; float: left;" title="Finished biltong"></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>We also went and got a trailer to use as the base for a new tiny house build. For only $900 we picked up this old camping trailer. The main thing is that the core trailer frame and towing system is all in good shape. Next in the plan it to totally strip it down to just the metal trailer frame, so we can rebuild the whole thing from scratch as something like this:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VckbqU4kK2I">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VckbqU4kK2I</a></p><p>But for now it looks like this:</p><p><a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22269%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Trailer%20exterior%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Trailer%20exterior%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/trailer_1.jpg?itok=hpS_SVv8" rel="gallery-all" title="Trailer exterior"><img alt="Trailer exterior" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/trailer_1.jpg?itok=5Rc8oF79" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; float: left;" title="Trailer exterior"></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/trailer_4_interior.jpg?itok=eqwCmtMX" title="Trailer interior" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Trailer interior&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Trailer interior&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="Trailer interior" alt="Trailer interior" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/trailer_4_interior.jpg?itok=HijdFYI9" width="100" height="100" /></a><a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22270%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Trailer%20exterior%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Trailer%20exterior%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/trailer_2.jpg?itok=KFz_0Ejr" rel="gallery-all" title="Trailer exterior"><img alt="Trailer exterior" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/trailer_2.jpg?itok=hufQV_Vv" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; float: left;" title="Trailer exterior"></a>&nbsp;<a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22271%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Trailer%20exterior%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Trailer%20exterior%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/trailer_3.jpg?itok=73O2TFJ9" rel="gallery-all" title="Trailer exterior"><img alt="Trailer exterior" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/trailer_3.jpg?itok=8hIQpdYY" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-left: 4px; margin-right: 4px; float: left;" title="Trailer exterior"></a></p><p>Hopefully this changes quickly. Lots of work to do!</p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Content Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/content_category/tiny_house">Tiny House / Sustainable Living</a></div></div></div>Sun, 13 Apr 2014 01:17:50 +0000webmaster523 at http://ronhelwig.comhttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/apr/biltong_and_destruction#commentsMaple Syrup, Honey, and poophttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/apr/maple_syrup_honey_and_poop
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Today I'll be writing about poop. But to keep the gross stuff out of the teaser and let people not see the gory details, I'll first talk a little about trees and bees.</p><p>The super secret base I moved to, in the Raymond NH area, has a lot of different plans being put into motion. One of the ones that has been going for at least a year now is a maple syrup operation. When I moved here just 9 days ago, I was tasked with gathering the remaining sap. That's a pretty simple task, and while it isn't hard labor it is just a little harder than you'd think.</p><p>The maple trees are thankfully all in one area, probably less than an acre in size. The ground is rough and varied, with fallen trees and other debris getting in the way. There's also a water course, which is great for the plants but means you really should have water proof boots. I don't.</p><p>The old and typical way of collecting the sap from the tree is to have a hose from the tap going into a bucket. There's either a simple hole in the lid through which the hose passes or there's an attachment that screws into the lid's hole making a reasonable seal. You have to go to each bucket, take the lid off, and pour its contents into another bucket you carry. You take as many trips as needed, and you never know how much sap is in a bucket until you get to it. Sometimes there's maybe a half bucket (rare) and sometimes there's a half a cup (hardly worth it).</p><p><a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/maple1_old_method.jpg?itok=oQgF8Eei" title="Old style sap collection" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Old style sap collection&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Old style sap collection&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="Old style sap collection" alt="Old style sap collection" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/maple1_old_method.jpg?itok=gI71kZmZ" width="100" height="100" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/maple2_old_and_new.jpg?itok=dnT8vWCp" title="Old and new style sap collection" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Old and new style sap collection&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Old and new style sap collection&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="Old and new style sap collection" alt="Old and new style sap collection" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/maple2_old_and_new.jpg?itok=4t6Wezgp" width="100" height="100" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/maple3_sap.jpg?itok=B7y-rJrR" title="New style sap collection" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;New style sap collection&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;New style sap collection&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="New style sap collection" alt="New style sap collection" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/maple3_sap.jpg?itok=VrDcxbFs" width="100" height="100" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/maple4_pour_spout.jpg?itok=15uUDRTW" title="Bag method pour spout" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Bag method pour spout&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Bag method pour spout&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="Bag method pour spout" alt="Bag method pour spout" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/maple4_pour_spout.jpg?itok=r3DCv-eY" width="100" height="100" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/maple5_tap_and_hole.jpg?itok=R0Ffs-d5" title="Tap and the hole in the bag collector to hold it" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-all-s4twT4oXhms" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Tap and the hole in the bag collector to hold it&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Tap and the hole in the bag collector to hold it&quot;}"><img class="colorbox media-element file-preview" title="Tap and the hole in the bag collector to hold it" alt="Tap and the hole in the bag collector to hold it" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/maple5_tap_and_hole.jpg?itok=wYy18uDk" width="100" height="100" /></a></p><p>But the plan for next year is to switch everything over to the newer bag system. The blue bags attach easily and you can clearly see from a distance if it needs emptying (see the third pic - you can see there's a small amount in the bag). Its also much easier to empty. You can either take it off the tap and pour it, or you can swing it on the tap pouring the contents out while holding the bucket under it.</p><p>By the way, real maple syrup from the local farm really makes the morning coffee better. It also works well for sweetening cereal.</p><p>Another thing I hope to be enjoying here is truly local honey. Yesterday 30,000 bees arrived and got put into their hives. That's three queens and 10,000 other bees for each one. I got to help (mostly from a distance) get them placed in their new homes. I have no idea how long it takes for them to earn their rent, but I guess I'll know soon enough.</p><p><a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22259%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22The%20three%20bee%20hives%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22The%20three%20bee%20hives%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/bee_hives1.jpg?itok=Bp-Ca_qG" rel="gallery-all" title="The three bee hives"><img alt="The three bee hives" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/bee_hives1.jpg?itok=zAFzSHCk" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; float: left;" title="The three bee hives"></a></p><p><a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22260%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Bee%20hives%20on%20top%20of%20cargo%20container%20storage%20and%20chicken%20greenhouse%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Bee%20hives%20on%20top%20of%20cargo%20container%20storage%20and%20chicken%20greenhouse%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/bee_hives2.jpg?itok=pJUItHu8" rel="gallery-all" title="Bee hives on top of cargo container storage and chicken greenhouse"><img alt="Bee hives on top of cargo container storage and chicken greenhouse" height="100" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/bee_hives2.jpg?itok=pbol_db6" title="Bee hives on top of cargo container storage and chicken greenhouse" width="100"></a></p><p>OK, now that we got the boring stuff out of the way, lets talk about poop!</p><p>I've been using a 5 gallon bucket composting toilet that is in a shed. Once you're done pooping (never peeing in the bucket!) and you've wiped, you simply scatter a handful or two of fresh sawdust on top. That covers the unsightliness as well as the smell. So far it seems to be working well. But what do you do when the bucket is full?</p><p>When I was a kid - maybe 10 years old or so - we had a dog we'd let out into our side yard. My dad got this idea to try composting the dog poop in the ground. So we spent a few days digging a hole in the ground big enough to put a garbage can into. He drilled a bunch of holes in a plastic garbage can and we put it in the ground. For the next month or so when I cleaned up the side yard (one of my least favorite jobs as a kid) I just tossed all the dog poop into the bucket. The top of it was just a tiny bit above ground level so the lid would fit snugly.</p><p>Once the compost garbage can was full, we realized it was too much work for our urban sensibilities. Then we forgot about it for a year. But one day we checked it out and what we found was the most amazing black dirt. I've never forgotten that.</p><p>So this morning I recreated that. I took an old plastic garbage can and drilled a bunch of holes in it. I dug a hole in the designated area as deep as I could. It went a lot faster than I remember, but then I have a lot more experience (and strength) than when I was a kid. I did run into a couple rocks that looked like too much of a pain to work around, but by that time the hole was just about deep enough. I put the can in and filled in around the outside with the leftover dirt.</p><p>This can didn't have a lid, but lying about 4 feet from the hole was an old car window that is just the right size. That might work even better than a regular lid since it will let some sunlight in which will help warm the compost, helping break it down into safe dirt that much quicker. I dumped a full toilet bucket in, and put the window/lid on. Done.</p><p><a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22261%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Putting%20holes%20in%20the%20grabage%20can%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Putting%20holes%20in%20the%20grabage%20can%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/can_holes.jpg?itok=YyrthD6l" rel="gallery-all" title="Putting holes in the grabage can"><img alt="Putting holes in the grabage can" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/can_holes.jpg?itok=hNZDuqVh" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; float: left;" title="Putting holes in the grabage can"></a></p><p><a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22262%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Holes%20in%20the%20bottom%20too%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Holes%20in%20the%20bottom%20too%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/can_holes2.jpg?itok=As4xEVZe" rel="gallery-all" title="Holes in the bottom too"><img alt="Holes in the bottom too" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/can_holes2.jpg?itok=0iK13YWA" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; float: left;" title="Holes in the bottom too"></a></p><p><a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22263%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Digging%20the%20hole%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Digging%20the%20hole%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/hole1.jpg?itok=SEStP4am" rel="gallery-all" title="Digging the hole"><img alt="Digging the hole" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/hole1.jpg?itok=8fdClyc8" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; float: left;" title="Digging the hole"></a></p><p><a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22264%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Can%20just%20fits%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Can%20just%20fits%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/hole3.jpg?itok=HSHe3T5Z" rel="gallery-all" title="Can just fits"><img alt="Can just fits" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/hole3.jpg?itok=KHed86VP" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; float: left;" title="Can just fits"></a></p><p><a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22265%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Fill%20in%20around%20the%20can%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Fill%20in%20around%20the%20can%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/hole4.jpg?itok=ojdXXHtL" rel="gallery-all" title="Fill in around the can"><img alt="Fill in around the can" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/hole4.jpg?itok=YekH3tTK" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; float: left;" title="Fill in around the can"></a></p><p><a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22266%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Can%20is%20in%20the%20hole,%20almost%20done%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Can%20is%20in%20the%20hole,%20almost%20done%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/hole5.jpg?itok=sESEEIVh" rel="gallery-all" title="Can is in the hole, almost done"><img alt="Can is in the hole, almost done" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/hole5.jpg?itok=AlENUdqU" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; float: left;" title="Can is in the hole, almost done"></a></p><p><a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22267%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Dumping%20in%20the%20first%20load%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Dumping%20in%20the%20first%20load%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/hole7_dumping.jpg?itok=RgyZbEk8" rel="gallery-all" title="Dumping in the first load"><img alt="Dumping in the first load" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/hole7_dumping.jpg?itok=5XU49CCH" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; float: left;" title="Dumping in the first load"></a></p><p><a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22268%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Put%20the%20top%20on%20and%20we're%20done!%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Put%20the%20top%20on%20and%20we're%20done!%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/hole9_finished.jpg?itok=FJG4n-7u" rel="gallery-all" title="Put the top on and we're done!"><img alt="Put the top on and we&amp;#039;re done!" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/hole9_finished.jpg?itok=J47b5m3G" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px;" title="Put the top on and we&amp;#039;re done!"></a><!--MEDIA-WRAPPER-END-14--></p><p>Yay! Now I can poop without worrying about what to do with it.</p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Content Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/content_category/tiny_house">Tiny House / Sustainable Living</a></div></div></div>Wed, 09 Apr 2014 18:09:57 +0000webmaster522 at http://ronhelwig.comhttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/apr/maple_syrup_honey_and_poop#commentsMore morning musinghttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/apr/more_morning_musing
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>This morning I tried my first shower in the RV. It took me a while to get it clean enough to use, but it is a decent setup.</p><p><a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22252%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22RV%20shower%20basin%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22RV%20shower%20basin%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/RV_shower_basin.jpg?itok=XVDCV66O" rel="gallery-all" target="_blank" title="RV shower basin"><img alt="RV shower basin" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/RV_shower_basin.jpg?itok=-pNxqVDs" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin: 4px; float: left;" title="RV shower basin"></a>Thankfully I have already become acquainted with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navy_shower" target="_blank">navy showers</a>. Since the hot water tank is only six gallons, I knew I couldn't take a regular shower where you leave the water on the whole time. My variant is to turn on the water, wet my head, soap up my head, rinse my head, then wet my body, and then shut off the water. Then I soap up everything else and then turn on the water and do a final rinse. I can see how if you are small, six gallons of hot water might be enough, especially since this shower is equivalent to a low-flow water saving shower head. Unfortunately I am above average in size, and six gallons just isn't quite enough. I think I'll either look for a ten gallon tank or find an on-demand heater that turns on with smaller flows (look for "Minimum Activation Rate ").</p><p>The shape of the shower is an interesting one I haven't seen before. The basin is essentially a shallow tub, which might be useful for small children and dogs. It has a nice area where you can place your feet or even sit, making it easier to wash your feet than in a typical shower where you have to have excellent balance to wash the lowest extremities.</p><p><a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22253%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22RV%20shower%20ceiling%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22RV%20shower%20ceiling%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/RV_shower_ceiling.jpg?itok=LYOeuaEn" rel="gallery-all" target="_blank" title="RV shower ceiling"><img alt="RV shower ceiling" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/RV_shower_ceiling.jpg?itok=nDiwZPl5" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin: 4px; float: right;" title="RV shower ceiling"></a>But there are two things I would definitely change here. One is that the shower head's hose is just not long enough. The placement of the faucet controls would mitigate that, although at the expense of the tub nature. The other is that the space isn't tall enough. When standing up straight, my head hits the ceiling everywhere except directly under the fan. An additional 6 inches of height would make a huge difference.</p><p>I also tried some "nature friendly" soap. In this case it was One With Nature brand Shea Butter Soap. The smell is fine, and the soaping &amp; sudsing factor was good; but it did leave me with a gross 'still have soap on me' feeling. As a guy who has always had oily skin, this is disappointing. I can deal with it, but you don't feel as clean as with something more conventional like Irish Spring (my usual soap). I would expect, however, that there are soaps out there that are more natural without the excess moisturizer.</p><p>Another problem is that there isn't enough room in the shower itself or in the bathroom to towel off. The bedroom is also too cramped, so I had to go into the kitchen/living room to do that. Good thing no one else is home :-)</p><p>But with just the few modifications mentioned I can see this working out fine. My plan (see the <a href="http://www.floorplanner.com/projects/28118986-george#details" target="_blank">first draft here</a>) does have more space in the bathroom, and that will be a big help.</p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Content Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/content_category/tiny_house">Tiny House / Sustainable Living</a></div></div></div>Tue, 08 Apr 2014 14:29:21 +0000webmaster521 at http://ronhelwig.comhttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/apr/more_morning_musing#commentsMorning Ruminations on Rough Livinghttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/apr/morning_ruminations_rough_living
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I recently moved into a 20 foot trailer on a working property in the Raymond NH area, and I'm finding this to be an excellent experience that will serve me well as I move forward on building a tiny house. This morning I want to write about some of the interesting little lessons that have popped up.</p><p><img alt="Single cup coffee maker" class="media-element file-media-original" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22250%22,%22view_mode%22:%22media_original%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22media_original%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Single%20cup%20coffee%20maker%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Single%20cup%20coffee%20maker%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/toastess_coffee_maker.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 225px; margin: 4px; float: left;" title="Single cup coffee maker">The other day I bought a used coffee maker. I paid $5 but they are available new for just over $15. It makes one cup only, which I was looking for so I don't waste coffee and also can more easily monitor and control my caffeine intake. It is also about as small as a coffee maker can be, which is very important in tiny house living. However, its physical size isn't necessarily its use size.</p><p>Yesterday when I made my first cup, I noticed some things which are probably typical of most single cup makers. One was that pouring the water into the reservoir is nearly impossible to do without getting some water on the counter. Finding a good tool to help with that is imperative. I first tried using the cup I was using for the coffee, but that is too wide of an opening. A thinner plastic cup worked much better, but I think maybe something like a tiny watering can with an open spout might work better. Another area impact was that the first drips into the cup splashed out of the cup and onto the counter around it. Trying a larger cup, wider and taller - just barely fitting in the cup space, solved that.</p><p>Another thing I'm learning about is simple composting toilets. In my case it is simply a 5 gallon bucket, a seat, and another 5 gallon bucket with sawdust. This one is outside in a shed, so the potential smell issue is avoided. But so far it hasn't been bad, and I can see it working fine indoors. Some ventilation wouldn't be a bad idea though, and that can be hacked up using fans from scrapped computers.</p><p><a class="colorbox media-element file-preview" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%22251%22,%22view_mode%22:%22preview%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22preview%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Composting%20Bucket%20Toilet%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Composting%20Bucket%20Toilet%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" href="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/bucket_toilet.jpg?itok=12Uc05Eg" rel="gallery-all" title="Composting Bucket Toilet"><img alt="Composting Bucket Toilet" src="http://ronhelwig.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_thumbnail/public/bucket_toilet.jpg?itok=C-4HeliS" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; margin: 4px; float: right;" title="Composting Bucket Toilet"></a>One thing that has been a training point is that you are not supposed to pee in the compost bucket. That means you probably need to pee before sitting. Trying to hold your pee while pushing out a loaf can be a challenge. I can see how this might be a significant problem for women. As a guy I can just walk into the woods to pee (which also has the side effect of marking the territory so critters will tend to stay away).</p><p>Another thing I've figured out is that the sawdust does an OK job of washing your hands. Not perfect of course, but as you need to put a handful or two of sawdust on your droppings you can at least do a sort of pre-wash. I rub the sawdust between my hands as I drop it into the bucket, which also helps spread it appropriately. The sawdust also has a pretty good smell to it, which helps.</p><p>Overall though, this trailer seems like it is OK for short term living but has a lot of failings that would make it a pain to live in on a permanent basis. For one, the water utilities are all under the bed. That means any time you need to work on the water heater or fix a water tank problem, you need to completely remove all the bedding, the mattress, and the stuff holding it. There isn't enough insulation in the walls or floor, and where the utilities come in (under the bed) there is none. The stove is against a wall, making the two burners on that side pretty much useless. The range hood/fan is way too low, making the two burners in the back pretty much useless. Thankfully I almost always only need one. And there is no light directly above the stove, so to check that the meat is done I have to swing the pot over the sink to see it well enough. Not a big deal in itself, but just one of a number of small annoyances.</p><p>There's also the storage issue. This particular trailer has a lot of little storage areas, but most of them are ill-placed and poorly sized. For example, just above the microwave (which is above the range hood) there is enough space for spices. But they can't be too large and most of them have to be twisted to get them into the space. The closet for hanging clothes should be about two inches deeper, and the device (not a rod) for inserting the hanger hooks is hard to deal with as it is too close to the ceiling so you have to twist the hangar just right to get it in the hole.</p><p>As you can see, making a comfortable tiny house is going to be all about the little details. Getting those right will be crucial to long term sanity.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Content Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/content_category/tiny_house">Tiny House / Sustainable Living</a></div></div></div>Mon, 07 Apr 2014 12:36:34 +0000webmaster520 at http://ronhelwig.comhttp://ronhelwig.com/blog/2014/apr/morning_ruminations_rough_living#comments